Fat Burn or Cardio?

DarleneMarie203

Hi there! I just started going back to the gym, after 2 year's of not exercising. I'm 47 years old, 5'6" and I weigh ... 220 pounds. I would like to lose 60-70 pounds. I usually use the treadmill at the gym and select the "Fat Burn" setting. I have never used the "Cardio" setting and I was wondering if I should be using that setting or the "Manual" setting instead. I try to go at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes. I really just want to use the safest setting that will burn the most calories in 30 minutes. Help!

cwolfman13

The "fat burn" setting is just a setting where your heart rate will be lower and thus, the energy source being utilized is fat...but you burn fewer calories overall. You have to take into account that your body is constantly switching between fat oxidation and carbohydrate oxidization for energy so working out in the "fat burning" zone is ultimately meaningless in the big picture...ultimately, if you are in a deficit of energy (calories) you are going to burn fat to make up for it.

You are going to burn more calories overall with more intensity. A lot of places have started calling the "fat burning zone" the "recovery zone" in order to avoid this kind of nonsense in regards to what particular form of energy is being used to perform the task because it's pretty much irrelevant.

sijomial

dmarie203 wrote: »

I really just want to use the safest setting that will burn the most calories in 30 minutes. Help!

Conflicting aims!
"Safest" would be the slowest you can go, biggest burn will be the fastest you can go for 30 minutes.

Take it steady and build up progressively over time. Ignore the "fat burn" and "cardio" labels - just think of them as low intensity and higher intensity. Whatever the intensity you are doing you will be both burning calories and improving your CV capability.

meritage4

switch to cardio once a week and fat burning 2x week.

When you can do that switch another day to cardio. Finally switch to 3 of cardio.

Cardio is more intense but you can work up to it.

You could also consider lengthening at least one day.

tugsandpulls760

I use the manual I'll go 10 min at 3.5 to warm up then every 5 min I'll go as fast as I can for a minute works for me

Azdak

Use the manual programs. The cardio interactive ones (both "fat burn" and "cardio") have some issues. If your actual max heart rate is different from the age-predicted max heart rate (true for many people), it will put you at the wrong intensity levels.

If your heart rate matches the profile, the programs still are a problem. As you work out, your heart rate gradually drifts higher, even with no change in work load. You are not working harder or burning more calories--for a couple of reasons, your heart just has to beat a little faster the longer your exercise. The interactive programs will sense this increase and lower your workload as the heart rate drifts above the "target". So you get less of a training stimulus and fewer calories burned.

It's a lose-lose situation. Stick with the manual settings.

SingingSingleTracker

dmarie203 wrote: »

Hi there! I just started going back to the gym, after 2 year's of not exercising. I'm 47 years old, 5'6" and I weigh ... 220 pounds. I would like to lose 60-70 pounds. I usually use the treadmill at the gym and select the "Fat Burn" setting. I have never used the "Cardio" setting and I was wondering if I should be using that setting or the "Manual" setting instead. I try to go at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes. I really just want to use the safest setting that will burn the most calories in 30 minutes. Help!

Here we are again.

Use the manual setting. Choose the speed, and the level of incline that you feel comfortable with to get warmed up, and then jack it all up bit, by bit to increase your level of exertion. 30 minutes is not that long, but it is a good start at 3 x's per week.

Remember those zones to feel on perceived effort?

1. Old lady pace
2. Chatty pace
3. Feel good hard
4. Feel bad hard
5. I am going to die
6. Flat out

I would warm up for 5-10 minutes in 'old lady pace' and 'chatty pace', then bump it up to 'feel good hard' for the remaining 20 or so minutes if you can handle it.

chellekoren

I just found a setting on my elliptical that I find really motivating to go hard longer. It lets me put in my calorie goal. I want to get done so bad that I keep beating my time. It becomes more like intervals, which in turn should burn more fat and improve my cardiovascular system and lastly makes me happy because I don't feel I'm entrapped in a timed prison.